The Social Network: How a Musical Score Became a Main Character
by Hoda Mallone
When I first heard of a movie about Facebook, let’s say I was far from impressed. At the time this film was released, Facebook (or should I say FACEBOOK) was in its heyday, and Mark Zuckerburg, the owner, was involved in several ongoing scandals surrounding Facebook as well as him personally. But one thing was clear, global domination was inevitable. Social media was becoming ubiquitous in our culture and there was no stopping it. However, nothing about Zuckerberg or this seemingly bland tech company appeared all that interesting to me. I was a hard pass, for sure.
Then, enter three of my absolute favorite artists, David Fincher, Aaron Sorkin, and Trent Reznor. The director, screenwriter, and composer, respectively. Now you had my attention. Of course, the direction and writing were going to be fantastic. The music however, was a surprise I was not expecting. Trent Reznor, from the band, Nine Inch Nails and his producing partner Atticus Ross were tapped to create a score for this unique film. They did not disappoint. Not only was it edgy and uniquely Reznor and Ross, it set the film apart in many ways. And the critics agreed, awarding the score the coveted Oscar for Best Original Music Score.
There are many ways to study this album and body of work, especially technically, and instrumentation wise, which are brilliant. But another way to look at the music is to examine what the music illustrated about the culture of people that were represented in the film, as well as the culture of people watching the film, which was strange and evolving. In a sense, the music became another, and very important character to consider. Reznor and Ross captured a sound and more importantly the mood of a societal shift. Instead of having a straightforward character written to represent this, the music filled that space. It added layers and a dynamic presence that was undeniable in the narrative.
We as a society were moving more and more towards global connectivity and yet we, as people, were feeling more and more isolated. Reznor and Ross were able, with their music, to stab at that anxiety and constant motion millennials were felling and likely not even conscious of, just with the music. It was in most scenes, it had something to say, yet you couldn’t put a finger on what, exactly, which only added to the tension. The score was dark, smart, and cutting, exactly the way the characters were written and acted. It laid down a sly subconscious context to the scenes.
The standout song/character, in my opinion, is the first track and what opens the film, and continues to be a leitmotif throughout. In “Hand Covers Bruise,” the melancholy piano that begins the song giving the viewer a sense of beauty and almost hopefulness. That soon leads you into deep base notes that are immediately grounding and surrounded by a haunting type of chant. Beautiful but ominous. Only heightening this state of constant, static buzzing that is always there, that keeps you adequately unsettled, no matter how much you love the beautiful piano on top. And in the end, it’s only the chant that remains. This song perfectly captures the mood of the entire film.
Another excellent musical moment in the film is during the fraternity/FaceMash montage. The song “A Familiar Taste” showcased dark percussion and rock guitars that instantly give a sense of rebellion. As we watch the type of debauchery that can go on at these institutions, we also see the very early stages of the birth of Facebook. This leads the viewer to believe that it’s all bad, all rebellious, all sexually charged, all irresponsible behavior. And who’s to say that it wasn’t? This, like many other songs from the score, stand on their own. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine Trent Reznor’s raspy voice singing over almost any of them. His sound is uniquely his own.
A standout musical scene in the film, (and my personal favorite) which I believe showcases the strength of the composers’ storytelling, is the Winklevoss brothers’ rowing competition. Using Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” the pair emphasize the action masterfully. With the repetition of the single melody getting faster and faster, as the brothers row harder and harder, it is a genius choice for this particular scene. We see the men and their frustration moving parallel with the tone and tempo of the song. The composers’ synthesized version is appropriate for the film’s content and setting, but also adds to the frenetic energy of the race and is perfectly suited for the mood of the moment.
At the time of the film’s release, it was still unclear if Facebook was friend or foe. As one-by-one, all of us became part of this growing social network, we were battling with the question of if Facebook, and social media in general, was a good thing for humanity or not. The answer to that question is still pending. Through the music of this film, this questioning mood was methodically represented throughout. This theme carries and is also seen in the character development of Mark Zuckerberg and Sean Parker, social media as a whole, and Facebook itself.
The score for this film is stellar and made itself known up front and brazenly. It was sort of like a mysterious stranger, smoking a cigarette, outside a club – you just knew he had the goods on everything cool going on in there. The music held the viewers hand through the story, like a non-verbal narrator, and walked you straight to the V.I.P section. It perfectly captured a time of uncertainty and a changing of societal norms, the pushing of conventional boundaries, that are as relevant today as when the film was made.
The Social Network (2010)
Directed by David Fincher
Written by Aaron Sorkin
Music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross